The Great Pyramid and the Little Shack

Cairo Travel Blog

It was a sunny day, 120 degrees out with a blue sky on July 7th 2007. One of my dreams finally came true, which was landing on the African continent for the first time.I expected a memorable trip, but I was surprised by what I remembered.

I was in front of the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt with Bill, my husband, for our first anniversary. I lost my mind when I finally saw the pyramids and the Sphinx. I just couldn’t believe that they have been there for thousands of years. It definitely was a good way to mark our anniversary day.

After we spent a satisfying day seeing the pyramids, we wanted to use the bathroom. We asked a policeman where the bathroom was, and he pointed to a small, run-down shack that we had passed earlier.The bathroom attendant asked us for tips, so we gave him a few piastres and got in line.

After few minutes, it was our turn to use the unisex bathroom. When I entered, my eyes opened widely, I almost screamed, and my body was frozen.I gazed at the filthy toilet. I could see yellow-brownish colored water and feces inside. Flies were swarming all over the place. It smelled like a zoo. I even had to hold my breath. I looked down to make sure I wasn’t standing in a puddle of urine. The desert heat and foul smell made the tiny stall feel like a prison cell. I wanted to flush the toilet before using it, but there wasn’t a flush bottom. Then I had to think for a minute whether I should just leave or actually use the bathroom. If that brown, germ-filled water splashed on me, I might get a disease. After thinking deeply about what to do, I decided to just leave for my safety. As I left, the guy whom I tipped poured water into the toilet to flush it. That must be why it was so gross.

I never thought that the bathrooms at the Pyramid site would be a part of my memories of Egypt. The pyramids are grand and impressive, but the bathroom is just as unforgettable for different reasons. Seeing the pyramids had been a dream of mine for all my life, but I was surprised to see how this dream was realized. At that time I was seriously confused and shocked, but now it’s one of my best and funniest memories.

This is what I wrote for English class...and I love it so much now. So, I also wanna keep it here, and people can share this....